Review: Lord of the Dance at Palace Theatre is ‘packed with unbelievable dancing, laughs and gripping music’

Lord of the Dance – A Lifetime of Standing Ovations is back at the Manchester Palace Theatre bringing its iconic incredible footwork and a brand-new modern look to delight audiences once again, in this revival created and directed by Michael Flatley.

The plot follows the dreams of The Little Spirit (Cassidy Ludwig) who dreams of a conflict between good and evil.

Lord of the Dance at The Palace Theatre

On the side of good is The Lord (Matt Smith) but his dark counterpart The Dark Lord (Joseph Howarth) seeks to destroy all in his path, while the graceful Saoirse (Tiernagh Canning) and the seductive Morrighan (Andrea Papp Kren) compete for the Lord’s affection.

The story is told through a variety of awe-inspiring Irish dances performed by the main cast alongside an incredibly disciplined dance troupe who exhibit their synchronised skills to the spellbinding music by composer Gerard Fahy, in this fairy tale of love and war amidst elements of Celtic folklore.

Matt Smith brings his A-game and rock star stage presence to the titular role as he makes impossible dance moves look easy, Tiernagh Canning brings style and dexterity with an expert display of ballet-style elegance in her role of Saoirse, opposite her is Andrea Papp Kren who shows off her entrancing dance skills in both solo performances and ensemble numbers as she effortlessly brings the character of Morrighan to life.

Joseph Howarth shines at the Dark Lord

While Joseph Howarth shines as the as the wicked Dark Lord as he brings dark charisma and mastery of complex dance moves such as in the Act One performance titled Warriors that introduces him and his warlords to the audience in a true villainous style.

Cassidy Ludwig’s performance of The Little Spirit ties everything together with her impressively emotive performance as she guides the audience through the plot of the story.

Accompanying the dancing talents are the wonderful singing talent Celyn Cartwright of who plays the goddess also on show is the flawless musical talents of the on-stage Fiddles, Giada Costenaro Cunningham and Helena Gullan who never fail to get the audience clapping along to their musical numbers.

A well-paced show

The show is well-paced with a run time of two hours, the first act is of a slower pace as to introduce Flatley’s world and his characters, while the second act kicks the plot into action at lightning speed until an unforgettable encore number at the show’s finale.

A large VFX screen behind the performers transforms the stage into a variety of locations, from idyllic enchanted forests, Irish coastlines and fiery magical realms that really help to build the show’s atmosphere and make every dance feel otherworldly.

The costume design is impeccable as every character is seen with colourful eye-catching outfits that pay homage to the show’s Celtic roots whilst also modernising the looks for new audiences, adding so much character to those on stage.

With unbelievable dance routines, soulful songs, gripping music and even some comedy, Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance is a dance show on the grandest of scales and has everything on offer to delight returning fans of Flatley’s original works and new fans alike in this incredibly inspiring show.

Tickets for Lord of the Dance – A Lifetime of Standing Ovations at the Palace Theatre

Lord of the Dance – A Lifetime of Standing Ovations is currently showing at Manchester Palace Theatre until Sunday August 18th.

Tickets can be purchased here